Guiding and folding attachment for paper box machines



H. G. HALL July 26, 1932.

GUIDING AND FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR PAPER BOX MACHINES Filed April 11. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS.

/INVENTOR.

July 26, 1932. H. G. HALL 7 GUIDING AND FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR PAPER BOX MACHINES Filed April 11, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 26, 1932 PATENT OFFEE1 HARRY G. HALL, or

ATLANTA, GEORGIA GUIDING AND FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR PAPER BOX MACHINES Application filed April 11,

Generically this invention relates to paper box making machines, but it more especially 'is .directed to impr vements for feeding,

guiding, and folding the stock incident to the (Q operation of the machine in the production of paper boxes or trays.

An important object of thisinvention is the provision of adjustable means for guiding the blank from which a foldable tray is constructed and comprising means for automatically folding certain of the flaps or predetermined portions and including means for maintaining said portions in folded position until they reach. a predetermined point in their travel, whereby the normal output of the machine is greatly increased, and the folding of the selected portions accurately and expeditiously accomplished.

Another important object of this invention comprises means for accurately guiding stamped out blanks having irregular edge formation, especially adaptable to the form of tray hereinafter described, wherein certain of the flaps to be folded extend beyond the end edges and which have heretofore prevented accurate guiding of the blanks to the feeding and folding mechanisms. A further important object of this invention is the provision of horizontally and vertically adjustable folding and guiding means comprising a pair of parallelly longitudinally extending guide members formed at their forward ends with angle extension folder members, whereby the forward flaps extending beyond the edges of the blank are folded, maintained in folded position during their course of travel under said members by virtue of which the accurate folding of the flaps tends to produce a better tray construction and with a decrease in the number of imperfect trays, as heretofore experienced.

Still another important object of this invention is the provision of auxiliary guide means attachable to the guide elements of the type of feed board heretoforein use adapted to engage the end edges of the respective blanks without interfering with the flap portions that extend beyond such ends to effect 1931. Serial No. 529,471.

the accurate guiding of the trays to the ma chine, whereby not only increasing the rapidity with which the trays may be fed to the machine but decreasing the wastage now prevalent incident to improperly formed :7. trays by reason of the inaccurate guiding of the blanks to the machine.

l/Vith these and other objects in view, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the m construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures, of which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan View of a paper box making machine with my im proved guiding and folding attachments operatively positioned and showing the blank prior to its being operated upon by the machine;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of Fig. l; 4

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged detail of the structure adjacent one of the folders, showing the flap about to be folded, and the position of the flaps after being folded;

Fi 4 is a similar view showing thefiap partially folded; and a Fig. 5 is a view of one of the auxiliary guides detached from the primary guide.

The machines with which I am familiar and used in the production of foldablc paper boxes and trays have proven deficient in connection with their feeding, guiding and folding features in the construction of some types of trays,'especially bread trays, where certain of the flap portions to be folded, extend beyond the edges of the end portions, wherein difficulty has been experienced in accurately guiding the blanks to the machine and ex peditiously and accurately folding such flap portions to produce a perfect tray, since unless the blanks are accurately guided and folded, certain of the trays will be imperfect and therefore constitute a wastage in stock,

with a consequent curtailment of capacity output, and it was to overcome the deficiencies of such machines and to provide adjustable structure, comprising auxiliary guide ele- .ments for effecting the accurate feeding of the blanks to the feeding mechanism, and folding and guiding elements adapted to fold the forward extension flaps as the respective blanks leave said mechanism, maintaining the flaps in folding position and accurately guiding the blanks through the machine to where the gluing and folding operation is completed, thatil designed the devices forming the subject matter of this invention. In illustrated embodiment characterizing this invention, there is shown a standard machine A for making fold'able boxes from paper blanks, with my improved guide devices B, C, and folding and guiding device D, operatively mounted thereon. V The machine A is more especially adapted to produce knock-down boxes from previously prepared paper blanks, wherein the re spective blanks are folded and glued during their travel through the machine. Briefly said machine comprises a supporting frame 1 terminating at one end in a'pair of substantially triangular supporting standards 2, and spaced rearwardly from the standards 2 and in alignment therewith are upright standards 3 surmonnting which is a spacer 'bar 4 suitably secure d thereto by bolts or set screws 5. Suitably journaled in said frame adjacent the lower portion of standards 2', is a shaft (i on which is suitably secured drum 7, one end of said shaft having keyed'or otherwise suitably secured thereon'hand wheel 8. Also rotatably mounted in frame .1. with. their upper surfaces in a horizontal plane coincident with that of drum 7 is a plurality of'spaced rollers 9 and mounted on said drum and rollers 9 are a series of spaced conveyer belts 10 adapted to convey the blanks E through the machine as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Spaced rearwardly from shaft 6 is drive shaft 6 with fly wheel 8 suitably mounted on one end and with the other connected to ,a suitable source of power, said shaft 6 being connected to shaft 6 by a conventional gearingtrain as will be well understood.

Suitably journaled in standards 2 in vertical alignment with shaft 6 is shaft 11 on which are adjustably mounted rubber tired feed wheels 12 constituting a' feeding mechanism adapted to deliver blanks to the conveyerslO as will be well understood.

In. order that the blanks may be held in proper engagement with the conveyor belts 10, a centrally disposed roller carrier 18 is suitably supported by anchor member 14, with its upper end secured to bar 4 by bolts or setscrews 15, and mounted on opposite sides of said carrier are the roller guides 16 with their front ends adjacent the feed rollers 12. The upper ends of standards 2 are connected 1,ses,572

by shaft 17 and rotatably mounted intermediate the lower and rear portions of said standards 2 on shaft 18 is feed board 19 adapted to be adj ustably supported at any desired angle by pawls 20 engageable with ratchet teeth 21 formed in the rear extremities of said standards 2 and maintained engage able therewith by spring 22, as will be clear without further description.

In order thatvarious sized blanks may be delivered to the feeding mechanism of the machine, movable hopper guides 23 formed with adjustable anchor elements 24 are slidably mounted in the transverse grooves 25 formed in said board or table 19.

' 'Since the above structure is well known to the art, it is not deemed'necessaryto describe in detail its various components, and there fore, in the interest of brevity, only such have been described as are necessary to aclear 7 0 understanding with respect to the cooperative association of such parts with the improvements forming the subject matter of this invention. 7 i

The blank E is designed to form a particular type of tray and is stamped out and scored to provide end members 26 and corner flaps 27 and 28, respectively, and which latter are formed of such length that when brought into folded engagement with theinner surface of end members 26, their ends will be in meetingengagement, so that in the gluing operation the glue will be prevented from reaching the interior of the tray,'which is essential in this type of container adapted for the reception of bread and the like.

Therefore, when in extended position these flaps projectbeyond the end edges of the members 26, and as in the present instance, flaps 27 have been previously folded, by reason of the unstable and flexible natureof the flaps 28 and their limited contact area with their guides 23, the guiding of the blanks to the feed rollers 12 with precision has been "found difficultof attainment, if not impossible', and it was to overcome-such deficiency that I designed the detachable auxiliary slal like guide members" B formed atthei'r forward extremities with the curved surfaces 29 and 29' and of a thickness corresponding to the'distance the flaps 28 extend beyond the members 26, so that said guides will engage the respective ,end edges of said members thereby. effecting accurate guiding of the blanks tothe feeding mechanism as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The guides "B are formed with a pair of spaced L-shaped brackets 30, either integral therewith. or' securedthereto in any suitable manner and prov ded with. set screws 31 by means of which they are fixedly secured to the primary guides 23 with their lower surfaces slightly spaced .from feed board 19; The blanks E, in the present instance, have the flaps 27 previously folded and in order to accurately deliver the blanks to the mechanism D, and to maintain the flaps 27 in proper folded position, a pair of spaced strap-like guides C are provided. The upper ends of guide members G are secured to a split-casting 32 suitably secured on shaft 17 or in any suitable manner, the lower ends of said members C ter mine-ting adjacent the forward ends of members 34 in diagonal'end edges 33, so as to deliver the folded flaps 27 to members 34 without interfering with the operation of said members in folding the forward flaps 28 as will hereinafter be apparent.

Descriptively, the forward edge of the blank has now reached the rear ends of guides C and in order to fold the forward flaps 28, the folding and guiding mechanism D is provided comprising a pair of parallel guide bars 34 positioned adjacent the respective roller guides 16 and formed at their forward ends with the outwardly diagonally extending angle folder bars 34 terminating at their free extremities in tubular angle members 35, and said angle bars 34 extend to points slightly spaced from the edges 33 of guides C. Welded or otherwise secured to the upper surface of the respective guide bars 34 are a pair of spaced upright shafts 36 adapted to extend through openings 37 in the parallel anchor supports 38, the latter extending upwardly and rearwardly for engagement with the upper surface of spacer bar 4 to which they are suitably secured by set screws or bolts 39. The shafts 36 are vertically adjustable in their respective members 38 and are secured in any desired position by set screws 40, and the members 38 are laterally adjustable with respect to bar 4, which renders said guides and folders both vertically and horizontally adjustable to accommodate blanks of varying dimensions.

It is apparent as the blank passes from guides 34, the forward flaps 28 will be picked up by folders 34 and as they advance will be turned upwardly and folded on the lines 41, at the same time flaps 26 will pass beneath angle bars so that when the blank has reached a point in advance of angle bar 34, flaps 28 will be folded similar to flaps'27 and with their ends in meeting engagement therewith as at 42. The blank with the flaps fol ded as above described is conveyed rearwardly with the folded. parts maintained in proper position beneath guides 34 to a point where the end flaps 26 are. glued and folded over flaps 27 and 28 for subsequent discharge from the machine as will be clear without further discussion.

While the operation of my improved attachments as applied to a box making machine would seem to be clear from the above description, yet it might be well to further state that the blanks E are initially stacked on feed table 19 with the flaps 27 previously folded and are delivered to the guides B from the top of the stack so that each blank will have its rear edge superimposed on the blank that follows, and, therefore, the flaps 28 will extend beneath the guides B and said guides will engage the end edges of the members 26 to effect accurate guiding of the blank to feed rollers 12, as heretofore explained. As the blank is conveyed forward by conveyors 10, the flaps 27 are held in folded position, and it is caused to travel in its proper direction by guides C and as it emergesfrom said guides the forward flaps 28 are folded upwardly and rearwardly by folders 34 as the blank leaves said folders and is engaged by carrier 14, and roller guides 16 it is accurately guided and maintained in proper direction with the folded flaps in position by guides 34, from whence it is delivered to the end flap folding and glueing devices of the machine A, not shown, as and for a purpose well understood.

From the above it is apparent that I have designed guiding and folding devices expeditiously installable on machines now in use adapted to feed blanks of irregular end formation accurately to the machine, additional means for accurately folding selected portions, said means effecting the further accurate guiding of the blank, and means for maintaining the folded sections in proper position during the travel of the blank through said machine, whereby the blanks are adapted to be much more rapidly fed to and folded by the machine, wastage by virtue of imperfect guiding and folding of the blanks decreased, and capacity output of the machine materially increased, such attachments being simple in construction, manufacturable at a negligible cost and efiicient for the purposes intended.

With further reference to the strap-like guides C, it might be well to explain that said guides are adapted to firmly guide the previously folded flap portions from the initial guiding devices to the folders 34 and guides 34.

Although in practice I have found that the form of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yetrealizing the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my invention will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire protected by Letters Patent is as set forth in the following claims:

1. In combination with a box making machine for constructing foldable boxes from paper blanks and including feeding mech 'anism'; of auxiliary guide means for guidguiding blanks having flap portions extend ing beyond their end edges, whereby the ends of the flap portions are adapted to engagethe primary guides and the edges of the end sections engage said auxiliary guides to accurately guide the blanks to the feeding mechanism, means for folding said foldable portions including meansfor maintaining'the portions in folded position until the blank has reached a predetermined point in its travel through the machine.

3. In combination with a machine for making trays from paper blanks including primary guides, a feedingmechanism and conveyor means; of auxiliary guides detachably connected to said primary guides having their forward ends curved, whereby a blank having its forward foldable flaps extending beyond the edges of the end sections is adapted to be guided to said feeding mechanism, the flaps extending beneath said auxiliary guides and the ends between said vauxiliary guides and the ends between said guides and additional means for folding said flaps and guiding said blank through said machine.

4. In combination with a machine for constructing foldable boxes from paper blanks including a feeding mechanism and conveying means; of a pair of auxiliary guide members detachably connected to the primary guides for guiding a blank having flap portions extending beyond the end edges, whereby said auxiliary guides are adapted to engage the upper surface of said flaps and the end edges of said blank to accurately guide the'latter to said. feeding mechanism, and means for folding said flap portions and maintaining the same in folded position until they are conveyed to a predetermined point. v 5- In combination with a box making machine for constructing foldable boxes from paper blanks including primary guide members, a conveying means and feeding mechanism; of a-pair of auxiliary guide members detachably connected to the primary guides for guiding a blank havin 'foldable flaps extending beyond the end edges of the blank, each of said auxiliary members having its forward end curved upwardly and outwardly and means connected to saidv members for detachable engagement with the primary guides whereby the end edges of the foldable flaps are engageable with the primary guides and the under-surfaces of the auxiliary guide and the end edges of the blanks with the sides of the auxiliary guides to effect accurate guiding of the blank to said feeding mechamsm; V

6. In combination with a box making machine including primary guides and a feeding mechanism; of auxiliary guides associated with the primary-guides for guiding a blank having fiap portions extending beyond the end edges of the blank to the" feeding mechanism, and means, for folding said flaps and guiding said blank from said feeding mechanism.

7. In combination with a box making machine including priniary guides and a feeding mechanism; of a pair of parallel guide members attachable to said primary guides for guiding a blank formed at its forward corners with flaps extending beyondthe end edges of the blank to the feeding mechanism a folding and guiding means comprising a pair of parallel members including folding elements for folding said flaps and guiding said blank with the flaps in folded position away from said feeding mecham'sm.

8. In combination with a box making machine including primary guides and a feed- 1110 mechanism; of a pair of auxiliary parallel guide members associated with said primary guides and having their forward ends curved upwardly for guiding a blank formed with flaps at its forward corners extending beyond the edges of the blank to the feeding mechanism, and folding and guiding. means attachable to said machine for folding said forward corners and guiding said blank from said feeding mechanism with the said flaps in foldedposition. V

' 9. In combination with a box making machine including a pair of laterally adjustable primary guides and a feeding mecha-- nism; of a pair of auxiliary parallel'guides curved upwardlyand outwardly at their forward ends means for detachably connecting said guides to the primary guides for guiding. a blank formed with opposite flap portions projecting beyond the end edges-of the blank and a'guiding and folding device comprising a pair of guide members formed with folding elements for folding said flaps and guiding said blankwith the flaps in folded position to a predetermined point in said machine.

10. In combination with a box making'machine including a pair of primary guides and a feeding mechanism; of a pair of auxiliary' guide members having their forward ends curved upwardly means for clamping said guides to the inner surfaces of the respective primary guides with the lower edges of said guid-esspaced from-the lower edges neath said auxiliary guides and the end portions between said guides, and a folding and guiding device mounted on said machine for folding said flaps and guiding the blank with the flaps in folded position to a predetermined point in the machine.

11. In combination with a box making ma chine including primary guides and a feeding mechanism; of auxiliary guides associated with said primary guides for guiding blanks formed at their forward corners with flaps extending beyond the end edges of the blanks to the feeding mechanism, a guiding and folding device comprising a pair of parallel guide bars formed at their forward ends with angle folder members, a pair of parallel anchor arms, and means for connecting the guide bars to said anchor arms, whereby said flaps are folded and guided in folded position to a predetermined point in the machine.

12. In combination with a box making machine including primary guides and a'feeding mechanism; of auxiliary guides associated with said primary guides for guiding a blank formed at its forward corners with flaps extending beyond the end edges of the blank to the feeding mechanism, a guiding and folding device comprising parallel guide bars formed with folder elements at their forward ends, parallel angle arms connected to said machine, means connecting said guide bars with said anchor arms, and additional means for effecting adjustment of said bars with respect to said arms to accommodate blanks of varying dimensions, and, whereby said flaps are folded and the blank guided with the flaps in folded position to a predetermined point in the machine.

13. In combination with a box making machine including primary guides and a feeding mechanism; of auxiliary guides associated with the primary guides for guiding blanks having flap portions extending beyond the end edges of the blank to the feeding mechanism, and means for folding said flaps and guiding said blanks from said feeding mechanism, comprising a pair of parallel guide bars formed at their forward ends with angle folding elements terminating at their free ends in tubular extensions, a pair of anchor bars and vertical standards connecting said bars and arms, respectively, and means for effecting vertical adjustment of the bars with respect to said arms, additional means connecting the arms to said machine adapted toeifect lateral adjustment of the arms with respect to each other.

- 14,. In combination with a box making machine including primary guides and a feeding mechanism; of auxiliary guides associated with the primary guides for guiding blanks having flap portions extending beyond the end edges of the blank to the feeding mechanism, and means for folding said flaps and guiding said blanks from said feeding mechanism, said means comprising a pair of folding and guiding units, each unit including anchor arms and a guide bar having a folder element connected therewith, said bar being vertically adjustable with respect to said arms and means for effecting lateral adjustment of the units with respect to each other.

15. In combination with a box making machine including primary guides and a feeding mechanism, of auxiliary guides associated with the primary guides for guiding a blank having corner foldable flap portions extending beyond the end edges of the blank to the feeding mechanism, the rear corner portions having been previously folded, means for folding said forward flaps and guiding said blank from said feeding mechanism, and additional guide means adapted to engage said folded flaps and guide the same in such folded position to said folding means.

16. In combination with a box making machine including guide means and a feeding mechanism, said guide means adapted to guide a blank formed with corner flaps extending beyond the end edges of the blanks and with the rear fiaps in folded position to the feeding mechanism; of means for folding the forward corner flaps to bring their ends into abutting engagement with the ends of the previously folded flaps, and a pair of guides adapted to engage the previously folded flaps and guide the same in folded position to said flap folding device.

17. In combination with a box making machine including a feeding mechanism; of means for guiding a blank to said feeding mechanism formed with corner foldable flap portions extending beyond the end edges of the blank with the rear portions previously folded, means for folding forward flap portions, and a pair of spaced strap-like guides adapted to guide said previously folded flap portions in folded position from said firstmentioned guides to said folding means.

This specification signed this 6th day of Nov, A. D. 1930.

HARRY G. HALL. 

